These exercises have been induded in a separate category because there are very few occurrences of each type in the texts used to create this inventory. Traditionally, there have been consistent types of activities used in grammar instruction, and their classification is, for the most part, straightforward. However, that type of classification does not readily apply to the activities found here. This section has been provided in an effort to illustrate some of the different directions that can be considered in creating grammar activities.
ACTIVITIES:
1. Read the location of each store. Write the store names on the map.
| Post Office | Bank |
BROAD STREET
| Supermarket |
1 .The post office is on Broad Street, across from the supermarket.
2. The bank is between the post office and the bus station.
3. The laundromat is across from the bus station.
4. The police station is across from the bank.
5. The supermarket is between the barber shop and the police station.
6. The high school is on Broad Street, next to the laundromat.
7. The jewelry store is across from the barber shop.
8. The shoe store is next to the jewelry store and across from the library.
9. The library is on Broad Street, across from the shoe store.
10. The bus station is between the bank and the diner.
Foley, B. and Dowling, G. (1990). Grammar in Action, Book One.
2. Check the following sentences to see if they are complete, proper English sentences. If they are, capitalize the first word and use the correct punctuation mark. If they are not complete sentences, rewrite them correctly, adding capitals and punctuation. Check your work with a partner.
1. Tatyana she lives in an apartment with her husband _____________________________________________________________________
2. Tatyana has a two-bedroom apartment ____________________________________________________________
3. near Tatyana's place have bus stop ____________________________________________________________
4. have a swimming pool in Tatyana's building ____________________________________________________________
5. very like live there ____________________________________________________________
6. Tatyana have nice neighbors when they meet the always say hello or shake hands ____________________________________________________________
7. Tatyana and her husband in school ____________________________________________________________
8. Tatyana always in a hurry doesn't have time to make friends ____________________________________________________________
9. very difficult learning English for Tatyana. ____________________________________________________________
McKay, I. (1996). Grammar Strand 1.
3. Ask questions to get more information about the situation.
1. One night in August 1952, a man from Long Island, New York, saw a UFO. It landed
not far from him, and three small beings got out. They walked around for a few minutes and
then got back in their ship and left.
What was the man doing when the UFO landed?
He was taking a walk.
2. In May of 1955, a New York photographer and
his girlfriend were in a park when a huge
object with a circular shape appeared above them. The man
photographed the UFO, and the photograph later showed something
that looked like a large doughnut.
What ____________________ when ____________________ ?
He was taking photographs of his girlfriend.
3. A woman from Brooklyn saw a UFO from her car
window in January, 1975. The UFO was
in the sky above an apartment building. The ship had a circle of
blinking lights around it.
Where ____________________ when ____________________ ?
She was going to visit some relatives.
4. On December 1, 1971, Muhammad Ali was in
Central Park in New York City when he saw something bright with
the shape of a light bulb in the sky.
Where ____________________ when ____________________ ?
No, he wasn't taking a walk. He was jogging.
5. A Manhattan man sighted a UFO in 1974. He
saw something pink in the shape of a triangle in the clouds.
After some time, it moved off to the north and disappeared.
What ____________________ when ____________________ ?
He was watching the sunset. It was a beautiful summer evening.
Fingado, G., Freeman, L., Jerome, M., and Summers, C. (1991). The English Connection, 2nd ed.
4. Work in pairs. Each pair should be supplied with a sheet of white typing paper trimmed to a square shape. One student should work with the book closed. The other student will explain how to fold the paper into a usable paper cup, based on a variation of the directions given below.
Sample directions for making a paper drinking cup
Take a square sheet of paper and fold on the diagonal to make a triangle.
Fold corner A to C.
Fold corner B to D.
Fold the two triangles at the top down on each side.
Squeeze the sides and the cup will open out. It may be used for drinking.
Knepler, M. (1990). Grammar with a Purpose.
5. There are only a limited number of personal pronouns. Study the forms in the chart below. What patterns of similarities and differences do you find? 1. Which pronoun is capitalized? 2. Which pronouns are the same in subject and object forms? 3. How do second-person singular pronouns compare with second person plural pronouns? 4. Do any possessive determiners look the same as any possessive pronouns? 5. How are singular reflexive pronouns distinguished from plural ones?
Pronouns and Possessive Determiners
| Subject Pronouns |
Object Pronouns |
Possessive Pronouns |
Possessive Determiners |
Reflexive Pronouns |
|
| 1st Person Singular | I | me | mine | my | myself |
| 2nd Person Singular | you | you | yours | your | yourself |
| 3rd Person Singular | he she it |
him her it |
his hers |
his her its |
himself herself itself |
| 1st Person Plural | we | us | ours | our | ourselves |
| 2nd Person Plural | you | you | yours | your | yourselves |
| 3rd Person Plural | they | them | theirs | their | themselves |
Knepler, M. (1990). Grammar with a Purpose.
6. Look at this transcript of a conversation that the authors of this book had one morning:
PAT: "What you doing?"
BEV: "Not much. I'm a little tired. Too much work and not enough sleep."
PAT: "You ready to finish writing this chapter?"
BEV: "Yeah. I can't talk long. Got to get to class early."
PAT: "OK. You want to have lunch to talk later?"
Pat asks three questions in conversational style. Working with another student, compare the grammar of those spoken questions to the grammar of complete question in the space provided here.
1. "What you doing?" _________________________________________________________
2. "You ready to finish writing this chapter?" _________________________________________
3. "You want to have lunch to talk later?" ___________________________________________
Bev answers with a mixture of complete statements and fragments. Which of her answers are complete sentences and which are fragments? Write the fragments in the space given here. Then, write a complete version of each fragment.
| Fragment | Complete Sentence |
| 1. Not much | I am not doing much. |
| 2. | |
| 3. | |
| 4. |
Byrd, P. and Benson, B. (1992). Applied English Grammar.
7.Write the general rule to explain the determiners and quantifiers used with the following sets of words.
| some books | some students | some tests |
1. Some is used with __________________________________________
| a student | a calculator | a desk |
2. A is used with _____________________________________________
| some equipment | some advice | some information |
3. Some is used with __________________________________________
| an essay | an assignment | an outline |
4. An is used with ____________________________________________
Byrd, P. and Benson, B. (1992). Applied English Grammar.
Return to Table of Contents for the Grammar Activities Inventory